


The Last Storm Queen

by lordbloodravens



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin
Genre: Aegon's Conquest, Enemies to Lovers, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-22
Updated: 2019-08-21
Packaged: 2020-09-23 19:51:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,073
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20345761
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lordbloodravens/pseuds/lordbloodravens
Summary: The story of how Argella Durrandon and Orys Baratheon met. A strong willed woman prepared to die found a partner where she least expected.





	The Last Storm Queen

The news of her father’s death arrived in the form of a frightened soldier who had barely escaped the slaughter.

“His wish came true my Lady, he died with a sword in his hand and a curse in his lips.” Said the battered man.

Everyone in the hall were listening. The storm in the sky had finally subdued but Argella’s heart was furious, her rage matching the thunder that gave name to her land.

“He died as a King, and he will be remembered as such.”

Argilac Durrandon had fought to his last breath, defending Storm’s End from the cursed dragon lords.

“Could you see who killed him?” She needed to know if he had a torturous death by fire or an honorable in combat.

“I think it was their commander, Orys Baratheon. He stepped off his horse and fought him in single combat. Both men took wounds but King Argilac’s was mortal.”

She had heard about this Orys Baratheon before. Aegon had refused her hand and instead had offered his friend Orys. Her father thought it was outrageous. He called the man a bastard and mutilated the messenger who had dared suggest such a thing.

Now her father had died by his hand. Argella wondered what he would think of that. Killed by a bastard.

Well that bastard and his dragon lady did not frighten her. She was the daughter of a King, his heiress. Now she was the Queen and would die defending this castle.

Storm’s End was said to have been built by Brandon the Builder. If the man that had done The Wall had built this castle, then the stories of how inexpugnable it was should be true.

“Bar the gates, close everything. We will prepare for a siege. This is an order from your Queen.”

“My lady, I mean my queen, we all heard what happened to Harren Hoare.” That was the castle’s castellan, Ser Cleoden Hasty. A feeble man, the first one to suggest to her father he should surrender to the dragon lords. Argella wasn’t even sure how he had gotten the position he held. “I think it’s best if we parley.”

“Your late King Argilac didn’t kneel before the Targaryens and neither will us. If they have dragons then let them use them. All they will get from me is charred bones and ashes.”

“Of course my queen. It will be done.” The man bowed to her and left to give the order. The rest of what was left of the court, the women, children and the small garrison the King had left to guard the castle, dispersed out of the Hall.

She felt bad for the people inside the castle. She had failed them. She could not protect them. But her honor didn’t let her bent the knee. If her father had died fighting the Targaryen lords, then so would she.

Argella went to her chambers, from her window she could see the enemy’s camp starting to form. She could see the lights from the fires, they weren’t even that much. She wondered how her father’s host had been defeated by such a small army. But then she remembered the dragon. It was true she had never seen one, but the stories were enough to scare the bravest man. However she wasn’t a man, she was the daughter of a king and descendant of the God of the sea and the Goddess of the wind. She would not cower that easily.

She went to sleep, unsure if this would be her last night or if she would see the sun rise in the morrow.

* * *

Brusque hands woke her in the middle of the night and shaking her.

“What happened? Are we under attack?” Was Argella’s first reaction.

“No my lady, but we won’t let our fate be decided by a mad woman. You plan to burn us all and we will not seat idle waiting for the dragon’s ire.”

She should have guessed Cleoden would betray her. They thought her a weak woman. Nevertheless it still hurt seeing the entire garrison supporting him.

They removed her from the bed and threw her into the cold stone floor.

“Tie her up.” One of the man ordered. Another man her father had trusted.

“So what’s your plan? Killing me?” She spat the words.

“That won’t be necessary. We will deliver you to Orys Baratheon. Then we will be rewarded. It is said all those who changed banners and supported the Targaryens found forgiveness and wealth. You should have surrendered the castle my lady.” Cleoden looked at least a bit mortified by defying his lady, but he still ordered “And gag her too, we don’t need to hear the words of a mad woman.”

_Traitor _she thought. _All of them traitors. They would fight for my father but think I’m just some crazy woman. They don’t understand an honorable death, too afraid to die. Shameful._

The men put a rag of clothe over her mouth after tying her hands behind her back.

“Send a message to Baratheon. We surrender the castle and bring a peace offering.”

“Right away Ser.”

While the messenger left for the enemy´s camp they took Argella to the courtyard. The night was cold and she was wearing only her nightgown. Her skin had goosebumps all over but she preferred to think it was the cold breeze and not something akin to fear.

One of the guards spoke to her “You believe you are so mighty, so powerful you can decide the fate of all of us. But some of us want to live. We don’t mind serving a dragon lord. It’s all the same to us who seats on the throne as long as we have food in our bellies and a roof over our heads.”

Another man was bolder “Wouldn’t it be funny if we took her clothes off? Deliver her naked to that Lord Baratheon. That way she might humble a little.”

They all started to agree and soon Argella was stripped of her clothes. If she could she would have covered her breasts with her hands but they were tied behind her back.

She felt humiliated. These men had served her, she even knew some of their names, played in the castle they guarded when she was little. She had given them comfort in times of war. And now they laughed at her disgrace. She hated them for it.

Finally, when the sky was starting to turn grey signaling the first rays of sun, a Targaryen envoy came back. The man said Orys was ready to talk with them and would gladly receive whatever present they might bring. Argella was sure he would never imagine just what kind of present the people of Storm’s End would be delivering.

She was pushed with a wooden stick, forced to walk all the journey over to the Targaryen camp. In the despair of her situation she actually noticed just how beautiful Shipbreaker Bay really was. The wind was now strong and made a sound that almost felt as if it was talking, or maybe crying.

But even if the Goddess of the Wind cried for Argella, she would not spill a single tear. Orys Baratheon would not see her cry. She knew people called her father Argilac the Arrogant. Well she was his daughter and she too was proud.

The entourage arrived to the camp and she had to walk among the enemy soldiers, naked and chained. She refused to look to the ground, defying them with her gaze.

In the end they arrived to a big tent, where she supposed Orys was staying. A young squire invited them in and she entered the dark tent.

A tall, strong man, with broad shoulders, beard and long hair tied at the back received them.

“Greetings my lor… what is the meaning of this?” He stopped on his tracks when he saw Argella, gagged and naked.

“It’s the gift we bring you my lord. Argilac’s only daughter and heiress. She called herself Queen but she does not speak for us. We surrender the castle to your forces and bring chained the only opposition you could encounter.” Ser Cleoden always had a way with words.

“This is disgraceful. Ungag her immediately – they did as he commanded – I’m sorry my lady.” He took a sharp knife and cut the ropes than bound her. Then he removed his own cloak and put it over Argella, covering her. “That will be all Ser. I will speak with the lady now. You might return to your castle and rest assure we will not attack.”

“I assure my lord it was only a demonstration of good hope.” The castellan started saying.

“I see, so betraying your King’s daughter and handing her naked and defenseless to the enemy all in good hope? You people have strange ways. Leave us alone. Now.”

The retinue of soldiers and the castellan promptly left. Argella hoped that they returned ashamed of their actions. Still she would not fall so easily for this man, the same man who had killed her father.

Almost as if he had read what she was thinking, Orys Baratheon spoke to her.

“A truly remarkable man, you father that is. We fought on single combat and he almost bests me. If it wasn’t for his age I’m sure the defeated would have been me.”

Argella refused to answer. She didn’t know what to say. She couldn’t contradict him without soiling the memory of her father but agreeing to anything this man said sounded like treachery.

“I apologize for what those men did to you. Please sit down and have some wine.”

She sat and took the cup he was offering her. Her lips barely grazed the liquid. She needed her full capacities to confront this man.

“I see you’re a woman of few words.”

That time she decided to speak “I have many words I would like to say, I just know they’re not appropriate due to my situation.”

“You’re not in danger my lady. I promised I would not touch your castle, and I see no reason to harm you. I consider you my guest.”

That shocked her a little bit. After the way she had been awaken that night she had expected to die sooner than later. For the first time she had started to feel safe.

“Tell me more about your father. He seemed like a great warrior.”

“It’s true, I grew up listening to his stories of how he defeated hosts of dornishmen when he was just a boy. Or how he fought in Essos, against the tigers of Volantis. He even slew in combat a Reach King, Garse VII. I know a little girl shouldn’t hear those kind of stories but I wouldn’t go to sleep if my father didn’t tell me one of his feats. Then I would go to sleep dreaming I was a boy who helped my father in battle.”

“You might not be a man but you have more backbone and strong will than many men I know.”

“Thank you my lord. It’s my duty to make my father proud.”

“I’m sure he would be – He took a deep breath before continuing – Listen Lady Argella, I know this might sound irrational but once my friend Aegon talked to me about a possible betrothal to you. Your father denied his proposal calling me a bastard. It’s true that I’m not a Targaryen, but I have a family name, Baratheon. And I’ve been charmed by your tenacity and resolve. Not to speak of your beautiful blue eyes. So I offer you the chance to still rule the Stormlands. By my side. As my wife and lady of Storm’s End. What do you say?”

When Argella Durrandon decided to die by dragon fire locked in her castle, never it crossed her mind this outcome. But the more she thought about it the more sense it made. Her own people had turned against her and this stranger had treated her kindlier than any other man in her life besides her father. What other choices did she have? Join the silent sisters? Live in exile? She would make sure the new rulers of the Stormlands always had a little drop of God’s blood in their veins.

“I accept your proposal my lord.” She decided to actually drink the wine, after all it was time for a celebration.

**Author's Note:**

> Hii, first time I do this ship, but I was reading Fire and Blood and thought I would have loved to see that encounter so I might as well write it. Second chapter will be the birth of their son.


End file.
